Arthur Ransome - Children's Author

Arthur Ransome was born on January 18, 1884, in Leeds, where his father was a Professor of History. His father was a lover of the hills and lakes of Furness, and carried the baby Arthur up to the top of Coniston Old Man (later to become 'Kanchenjunga' in the books) when he was only a few weeks old. Every summer, he took his family by train to Greenodd, complete with their belongings packed into a large tin bath, and then by cart along the valley to Lowick and, finally, to Nibthwaite, on the shores of Coniston Water.

It was to be a long time before the memories came to life in Swallows and Amazons and the rest of the books about the children who sailed and explored the lakes and mountains of England. Always fired by ambition to be a writer, Arthur Ransome took his first job with a London publisher and then with the famous newspaper, the Manchester Guardian, for whom he worked for many years as a foreign correspondent.

As a young man, Ransome spent many more happy holidays on the shores of Coniston with his friends the Collingwood family. Mr and Mrs Collingwood treated Arthur as a son and he pays them grateful recognition in his autobiography by saying 'My whole life has been happier for knowing them'. He spent hours on Peel Island, which was to become famous all over the world as Wildcat Island, picnicking there with the Collingwood daughters Dora and Barbara.

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Featured Books, with extracts by Arthur Ransome

Winter Holiday
Arthur Ransome
This exciting winter adventure for the Swallows and Amazons brings new friends; brother and sister Dick and Dorethea, as well as new challenges, as the lakes are frozen over and camping is impossible. To entertain themselves the children set off...
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Format: Paperback - Released: 06/09/2012
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Peter Duck
Arthur Ransome
A thrilling adventure for the Swallows and Amazons now in much bigger boats than before and out on the wide, wide sea and on the track of treasure.  This time, they are not alone; their boats are being followed by...
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Format: Paperback - Released: 06/09/2012
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Swallowdale
Arthur Ransome
The Swallows and Amazons are back in the lake district for a second set of adventures. They are all set to camp on the island again but the plans go awry when the Swallow is ship wrecked and an elderly...
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Format: Paperback - Released: 02/08/2012
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Swallows and Amazons
Arthur Ransome
Children, boats and adventure, the classic story of Swallows and Amazons laid down a model for this type of fiction. Having set sail for the island in the middle of the lake in their boat Swallow, the four Walker children...
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Format: Paperback - Released: 02/08/2012
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We Didn't Mean to Go to Sea
Arthur Ransome
February 2011 Guest Editor Tim Bowler has chosen this book for the enduring appeal of Arthur Ransome adventures: "I loved all the Swallows and Amazons books as a boy. Ransome's genius is that he doesn't just give you the children's adventures...
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Format: Paperback - Released: 06/09/2001
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Swallows and Amazons
Arthur Ransome
Matt Dickinson, our Guest Editor for January 2013 - 'As far as I can remember this was the book that turned me into a reading addict! I absolutely loved it, and to this day can remember the excitement of going...
Featured in: 7+ readers | eBooks
Format: Paperback (b Format) - Released: 05/04/2001
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